


Cold toes and bruises

by Anili_2



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Cuddling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings Realization, Happy Ending, Holding Hands, Hugging, I swear I just want these two to be happy, M/M, Making Up, Miya supporting his friends, One Shot, Sleepovers, oblivious langa, renga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29858949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anili_2/pseuds/Anili_2
Summary: Was it really that obvious? Langa had never felt like this before so he couldn't really say. Even back in Canada he'd had limited experiences to what it felt like to have close friends so was it that hard to believe he wouldn't know where the line between friendship and love stood.--Post ep 7, pre ep 8 making up scenario, because I'm impatient for ep 9 and just want these boys to be happy again
Relationships: Chinen Miya & Shadow, Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki, Shadow & Miya & Langa, Shadow - Relationship
Comments: 3
Kudos: 178
Collections: renga





	Cold toes and bruises

**Author's Note:**

> It's been some time since I last wrote a fanfic, so please have mercy on my soul,,,,

It was….weird how different he felt just without Reki here. S was just as lively as always, but to Langa the same atmosphere that usually got him excited for the beefs now only buzzed as background noise. Even as he flew higher and higher off of the ramp, the adrenaline wasn't enough to make the hollow feeling disappear from his chest. 

A flash of red hair caught his attention and sent him tumbling down the ramp. Ignoring the concerned and surprised exclamations around him, Langa pushed himself up again as fast as he could in order to locate the red head he so yearned to see. The hope that had barely begun to bloom in his chest was crushed the moment he realised it had only been one of Shadow's fans. He let out a soft sigh and just rolled over to the wall where Miya and Shadow were chatting about who knows what. The two exchanged looks once he reached them and for a moment Langa thought they'd ask about Reki again, but was thankful when they stayed quiet. 

S wasn't supposed to feel like this. Being here was supposed to fill his heart with excitement and challenge him to get better, but the more he looked around now, the more lost he felt in the sea of people. The looks Miya and Shadow exchanged yet again while looking at the brooding Canadian went unnoticed by said brooder. Langa was too busy looking down at his board, absently rolling it back and forth with his foot. 

The board was just another key reminder to how different things were now. ''SNOW" wouldn't even exist without Reki. No one else would've been able to make a board so matched to his preferences that easily, if at all. He still remembered how amazing it had felt to skate with it for the first time, how at home he'd felt on top of the board as it finally moved like another piece of him. He could still recall the sparkle in Reki's eyes after he saw the turning wheels in action, and even though Langa had felt a bit jealous of the board back then for all the attention the redhead had given it, being on the receiving end of Reki's compliments had felt almost better than the beef itself.

…..wait, _what_? 

Langa's foot suddenly froze on the spot and his eyes opened up more in surprise just for his face to end up buried in his hands.

Jealous. He'd felt _jealous_ of a _skateboard_. 

He slid his hands down his face and looked up at the sky as he finally got a clear image of why he felt so hollow even though their other friends were still around. It was so simple that he couldn't help but laugh for not having noticed it before. The laughter started off loud, loud enough to scare the two skaters next to him actually, but soon dwindled out and turned to bitter tears as his situation set in. 

"Hey. Hey Langa! What's going on with you?" Langa only realised he was facing the ground again, when he had to look up to be faced with Shadow and Miya, who both wore expressions mixed with concern and confusion, though Miya tried to hide it more. With the crying calming down from the sudden interruption, Langa wiped his face with his sleeves while catching his breath. 

"I'm in love with Reki." He stated, just loud enough so the two should hear. When he got no response to his words, he thought they hadn't heard him so he repeated them louder. "I'm in love with Reki."

"Yeah, we know." Miya's off hand comment confused Langa even more and made him turn to look at his friends better. 

"It was painfully obvious from the start. Both of you were." Shadow rolled his eyes and kicked his board up into his hand. 

"Don't tell me you only realised it now?" Miya looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, as if he couldn't believe someone could be that blind. 

Langa pursed his lips and stuffed his hands into his pockets to somehow look not as obviously caught off guard as he felt. Was it really that obvious? He'd never felt like this before so he couldn't really say. Even back in Canada he'd had limited experiences to what it felt like to have close friends so was it that hard to believe he wouldn't know where the line between friendship and love stood. 

"Weren't you supposed to be a genius rookie?" Miya rolled his eyes and hopped onto his board before continuing, "Maybe you should tell the other troll about this. I doubt he has noticed anything, if it took you this long." And with that he rolled away to do some actual skating tonight as well. 

Shadow patted Langa's shoulder while setting his board down again. "Good luck," the words came off sincerely before the man rolled away as well. If he teased Miya later about pushing the two to make up, Langa was none the wiser. 

Langa, still somewhat dumbfounded, stood still for a while longer before determination set in within him. He stepped on his board with only one goal in mind: he had to see Reki.

It was only once he got in front of Reki's house that he realised how late it was and how the one his whole being was yearning to see could already be in bed. He thought about talking to Reki at school tomorrow, but his feet wouldn't move along with that thought. Instead he found himself behind Reki's window he'd seen the other boy sneak out of so many times before. 

Langa couldn't really see any sort of light coming out of the room, but he couldn't back away after coming this far. He picked up a pebble from the road and threw it lightly at the window. Someone could've called it cheesy, but it wasn't like he could just go up the ramp to knock on th–the window opened. His heart jumped to his throat and he stood frozen still, one arm halfway up to throw another pebble, as Reki's face came to view as the redhead seated himself in the empty space on the table in front of the window. 

Langa had to look up to see his face properly. Reki looked miserable and tired, and Langa could feel needles in his heart for being the reason for it. They hadn't really talked since the night in the rain, but Reki had opened the window, he’d accepted Langa’s attempt to fix things. Maybe, just maybe, he was just as done with this distance between them as Langa was. 

"Shouldn't you be at S?" Before Langa could even open his mouth, Reki's voice hit him like a wall of bricks and he realised he hadn't even prepared what to say. He'd just been in a hurry to see Reki and tell him how he felt before the feeling shut itself in a corner of his heart, too afraid to come out. 

"I–I was, but now I'm here." He wasn't really in full control of what he was saying, still trying to grasp at the words he needed to fix this situation. 

Apparently that wasn't the best choice of words, as Reki's eyes filled up with conflicted pain again and Langa almost choked on his own words. That wasn't what he wanted. He just….he just wanted to see Reki smile again. He just wanted him by his side again, teaching him about the area, gushing about skating again, just... be by his side again.. 

"Why are you here Langa?" 

"I love you." It wasn't until he saw Reki's surprised face and slowly red turning face that he realised what he just said. Ah well, might as well run with it. 

"I love you. I-I know I screwed up and this won't erase that, but I had to at least tell you." Langa could feel his heart beat wildly in his chest and suddenly looking at Reki was becoming hard, but he couldn’t allow himself to look away. "Skating is great and I want to get better, but I want to get better with you. I want your input and encouragement. I want to spend hours in your workshop and watch you work on a new board. You're–Reki you're amazing at making boards and you understand them better than anyone else I've met, though that probably doesn’t say much... I love the board you made me. I love that I have something special just for me. I love spending time with you. I love watching you skate. I love–"

Suddenly there was a hand on his mouth and Reki was in front of him. He must've slid down the ramp while Langa was too busy rambling his heart out. Now the words felt stuck in his throat and he realised he was crying again. Reki's expression was hard for him to read, but he dared to hope. 

Langa lifted a hand to hold onto Reki's and move them both down, their fingers making room for the other's with ease. The somehow familiar feeling of Reki's hand in his was exactly what he needed to keep him grounded, slowly drying up his tears. Usually Reki did most of the talking, but now the boy was quiet so Langa took another try.

"I just want my best friend back, maybe as something more, if you want to..." This time his words were more collected, coming out like they needed to. Langa took a deep breath and met Reki's eyes, searching them for any hints about his answer.

"I'm still upset." While Reki's first words weren't exactly what he wanted to hear, Langa understood them this time and just nodded. "But I can't let others touch your board, if it needs fixing, now can I." 

It was like tons of weight was lifted off of Langa's shoulders. Reki was smiling. It was small, but it was there. It was there and Reki was still holding his hand. His heart soared in his chest at the thought of where this could lead, though what mattered most was that he got his friend back. 

"And well…" Reki was blushing now and looking to the side rather than at Langa, who was still only looking at him like his life depended on it. "Having a boyfriend wouldn't be bad either." 

The moment Reki's words finished, Langa let go of his hand in order to wrap his arms around the other in a tight hug. It wasn't often that he initiated their hugs, but in that moment he just had to have Reki in his arms. At first Reki's hands fumbled around like they didn't know what to do anymore, but soon Langa could feel them gripping the back of his jacket like letting go would be dangerous. It felt good, really good actually. 

"Boyfriends it is then, " Langa stated a bit too loud given the time, but he was too relieved to really notice.

"Mhm." He could feel Reki's nod against his shoulder. 

They stayed like that for who knows how long, but eventually separated after Reki sneezed. It was only then that Langa realised his boyfriend, oh that felt nice to hear even if just in his head, wasn't even wearing any shoes. 

"You should get back inside before you catch a cold." Langa didn't want to leave yet, but they couldn't stay out here all night either. He bit his lip and shifted his feet, trying to get himself to leave. 

"You don't have to go, Langa. It's late anyway, so you can just stay the night." He was nodding to the suggestion before his mind really even processed it.

Reki took a hold of his hand and started dragging the shuffling boy to the ramp, only letting go so he could get up himself. Once inside he held out his hands for Langa to give him his board, which he did of course. Following soon after his board, Langa climbed up the ramp and into Reki's room. This was far from being his first time in it, but for some reason he felt more nervous than even on his first time here. 

While Langa was busy taking his shoes off, Reki had moved over to his bed and motioned for the other to join him. Movements somewhat stiff, Langa made his way over and lied down next to his boyfriend after sending a hasty text to his mother telling her he was spending the night at Reki's. 

The bed was a little cramped for the both of them and only after shuffling around a bit did they end up both on their sides, facing each other, and legs tangled together. Langa grimaced some as Reki’s cold feet touched his, but he at least owed the boy to warm them up again. He was sure Reku could hear his heartbeats from this distance, but didn't mind as much as he probably should've. They should try to get some sleep, they really should. However he couldn't stop taking in all of Reki's features, reaching a hand over to touch his cheek just to make sure this was happening, that Reki was really back where he could reach. It was then that Reki briefly closed the distance between them, lips brushing against Langa's, just to turn to face the fall right after. 

"Good night, Langa…’’ Langa could barely hear the softly muttered words, but he caught them. He wrapped his arm around Reki's waist, shifting closer once he felt Reki relax after getting stiff at the first touch. 

"Good night, Reki."


End file.
